Whis-Kebob

While the following “cocktail” is not one that I would suggest for the Hotel Monteleone’s Cocktail Search (only two days left: I hope that you have entered!) as it would be a little difficult to put out in great numbers at a busy bar, it is a recipe that I had contributed for Slovakia’s Bar Magazine that I’d thought some of you may enjoy. It went as follows:

One of the uses of molecular mixology is to bring an element of fun into the bar. Often times as one gets serious about the craft of the cocktail the element of fun gets lost, and in a business such as bars it is important to remember that entertainment is just as important as good service, comfortable atmosphere and a well crafted cocktail.

This week’s simple theme of Whiskey Sour along with the rapidly changing weather and Daylight Savings had me thinking of the barbeques that will soon be coming my way. Whiskey and BBQ naturally go hand and hand, but what if, I thought, you put the two together? Enter the Whis-kebob!

Half whiskey sour, half shish kebob, the final product really surprised me in that it tasted exactly like a whiskey sour with a subtle bacon finish. Fun to look at, fun to eat and not too difficult to make, ensure that this one stays away from the children as the cotton candy will entice them, but the 100˚ whiskey will knock them on their butts.

Santé!

WHIS-KEBOB

place two whiskey jellies on a plate
sprinkle with powdered citric acid
encapsulate with cotton candy ball
skewer and serve

WHISKEY JELLY

6 oz bacon-infused rye
½ tsp agar
¼ tsp xantham gum
blend ingredients together with an immersion blender
let sit for five minutes
heat to a boil in covered pot
immediately remove from heat
let cool and whisk smooth
pour through a fine strainer into cubed molds and let set

BACON-INFUSED WHISKEY

slow-cook 2 pieces of American or “streaky” bacon
place bacon (along with fat) in a jar with 8 oz Rittenhouse 100˚ rye for at least six hours
remove bacon
place jar into a freezer overnight
strain out solid fat pieces
filter bourbon through a coffee filter